Steamboat Pilot & Today receives awards

Newspaper named best of its size at industry convention

Denver  The Steamboat Pilot & Today was named the top overall newspaper in its circulation class for the eighth time in nine years Saturday at the annual Colorado Press Association convention in downtown Denver.

The awards were presented at the Sheraton Downtown Denver Hotel.

The Pilot & Today won a total of 36 awards in the CPA’s Better Newspaper Contest. The awards are presented in three categories: advertising, photo and design, and editorial. The newspaper won the sweepstakes award in two of those categories, advertising and photo and design.

The paper also won the General Excellence Award, recognizing the best newspaper in its circulation class. The Pilot & Today competes in the daily circulation category of 7,500 to 15,000. Other newspapers in that category include the Durango Herald, Aspen Times, Vail Daily, Summit Daily News and Cañon City Daily Record.

Topping off the day, the Pilot & Today was awarded Best of Show: Advertising, for its Clip & Save coupon wrap. Best of Show awards are given to the top overall entry in each award category, regardless of circulation size.

“It’s an honor to be recognized as the top newspaper in our circulation group again for 2010,” Pilot & Today Editor Brent Boyer said. “Credit goes to the dozens of Pilot & Today employees — from the newsroom to the pressroom and everyone in between — who are dedicated to putting out a quality newspaper 365 days a year.

“Credit also goes to our community and the many, many residents who continue to support our mission of providing timely, relevant and compelling news and information about Routt County and Steamboat Springs.”

The Pilot & Today’s sister newspaper, the Craig Daily Press, also was named the

top overall paper in its circulation class. It won a Best of

Show award in the photo and design category.

First-place award winners for the Pilot & Today included John F. Russell, for best sports photo, sports column and feature photo; Scott Stanford and Justin Hirsch, for best newspaper promotion; Hirsch, for best advertising campaign; Allison Miriani, for best informational graphic; Mike Lawrence, for best deadline news reporting; Jack Weinstein, for best education story; Amy Ingram, for best classified page or section; Steve Balgenorth and Meg Boyer, for best circulation promotion; and staff awards for best public service, advertising special section and layout and design.

Second-place winners included Deb Proper and Meghan Hine, for best advertising campaign; Balgenorth, for circulation promotion; Boyer, for use of color in an ad and newspaper promotion; Russell, for feature photo; Laura Mazade, for news page design; Matt Stensland and Joel Reichenberger, for photo essay; Reichenberger, for sports photo; Stanford and Hirsch, for real estate ad; Tyler Jacobs and Ashley McMurray, for best website — community; Kelsey Martin and McMurray, for best website — advertising; and staff, for editorial layout and design.

Third-place winners included Tom Ross, for business story; Balgenorth and Boyer, for circulation promotion; Deb Proper, for use of color in an ad; Lawrence, for deadline news reporting; Joanne Palmer, for humorous column; Christopher Woytko, for informational graphic and news page design; Reichenberger, for sports column writing; Jacobs and McMurray, for best website — interactivity; and staff, for best special section.